Hoping
by NessaRose89
Summary: Connor was hoping. Hoping he wouldn't be forgotten.
1. Chapter 1

Connor was used to being invisible. It had happened all throughout childhood, throughout uni. He could sit right beside someone in class for the entire year, and they would have no idea who he was if he actually came up to them on campus. It was something he had become used to.

The ARC wasn't any different. Sure, they knew his name. They spoke to him. But most of the time, he seemed to just be under the filter. He would actually watch as they looked around the room, eyes passing over him like he wasn't even there.

So, he wasn't surprised when he got left behind. Hurt, yes. Surprised, no.

It had been a long day, two anomalies opening at one time. He had gone with Cutter and half of the army men, while Abby and Stephen had gone with the other half. Connor could tell by the brief look that passed over Cutter's face that he wasn't happy with the arrangement.

It wasn't hard to find the creature- it was certainly nothing small- but Connor had been in the way as it charged toward them. He hadn't even known what was happening before the brief blinding pain, then darkness.

He woke up not long after, blinking frantically to stop the black spots from swimming in front of his eyes, and listened to Cutter talk about getting the… whatever it was back through the anomaly. But he hadn't moved, content just to lie on the ground. He had a sneaking suspicion that if he moved, he wouldn't like the results. That dull throbbing might turn into something even more painful if he did. Not to mention, my the way his ankle felt, he wouldn't make it long standing.

He was pretty sure he should be worried that he couldn't remember the name of the creature. It was definitely something he should know…

So Connor had remained on the ground, listening to the sounds of the men fighting/chasing the creature back through the anomaly - then nothing. He must have fallen asleep, or blacked out, but the next thing he noticed was the silence. Connor forced his eyes open and slowly moved his head to the side, only to see nothing.

At all.

Not anomaly, no soldiers, no Cutter.

Just nothing.

That had been two hours ago, and in that two hours Connor had been able to realize three things.

They had completely forgot about him.

His phone had been broken when he was hit.

His ankle was definitely broken. And he was pretty sure he had a concussion.

He had barely managed to get over to the closest tree before the black dots completely took over his vision. He had pressed his back against the trunk of the tree and leaned his head back. He wasn't going anywhere – he just hoped someone realized he was gone soon.

He had been fighting to keep his eyes open, knowing if he did have a concussion, sleeping wasn't something he should be doing.

He wasn't surprised that he had been left. He had been forgotten or ignored enough for him to be used to it - but he had thought someone would have noticed by now. That maybe Cutter had noticed the silence on the drive back to the ARC. Or Abby had noticed when she and Stephen came back that he wasn't there, following her around.

He had thought… well, he thought that maybe he was making friends with his co-workers. He had hoped he was. Maybe that was asking to much.

"Connor!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Connor! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Connor forced his eyes to open, then blinked to try to clear the dark spots from his vision. "Connor?"

Connor closed his eyes once again, deciding it wasn't worth the effort. " –'ellow."

"Connor?" The voice continued, growing slightly more worried. Connor closed his eyes tighter, hating the way a sharp pain shot through his head every time the person spoke. "Connor, you need to open your eyes."

Connor let out a deep sigh, slowly opening his eyes yet again. A pair of bright blue eyes swam in front of him, and Connor clenched his jaw as he forced himself to stare into the eyes. "Stephen?"

"Alright, it's time to go," Stephen said, standing so quickly Connor's head started to swim. "Can you stand?"

"Nope," Connor replied, popping the 'p' and closing his eyes yet again.

Stephen groaned. "Connor! Stay awake!"

Connor forced his eyes open once again, fighting down the bile that was making its way up his throat as Stephen swam in front of his eyes. "Sick."

"I know," Stephen said, his voice softer than Connor had ever heard it. Wow, he must have hit his head to make Stephen sound like _that_. A pair of strong hands suddenly grabbed him, hauling him up to his feet. "Ahh!" He gasped as his ankle moved, sending pain shooting throughout his body.

Stephen cursed, his arm quickly wrapping around Connor's waist and helping him move the weight from his right side. "Dammit, Cutter," Stephen muttered, making Connor snort. Right, concussion. There was no way Stephen would ever say anything like that about the beloved Professor.

Connor tried to move forward, really, he did, but those damn spots were back in his eyes, and his stomach was twisting, and he was pretty sure his head wasn't _supposed_ to feel like that. "Come on, Connor. Let's get you to the truck and then you can rest, okay? Someone can help once we get back-"

But Connor never found out where they were going. Connor was to busy letting the black spots take full control as he once again sank into unconsciousness.

Connor was warm. Uncomfortably so. And his head hurt. And his leg. And it was heavy. Right, so he was warm, hurt, and couldn't move his leg.

He frowned, slowly blinking his eyes as they grew accustomed to the light. Hospital. Right, okay. Why was he in the hospital again?

And why did his leg hurt? And his head?

Why was he having trouble thinking?

Why was he in a hospital?

"Connor?" A voice questioned softly, breaking him from his ramblings. He turned his head slowly, seeing familiar dots, before Abby slowly came into focus.

"Hello."

"Oh, god, Connor!" Abby said loudly, making him wince. She moved forward, placing her hand on his arm and squeezing gently. "We were so worried about you! When Stephen called and said you were unconscious, I-"

"Why would Stephen call?" Connor cut in, ignoring the way his heart skipped a beat at the name. Right, pathetic that.

Abby paused, frowning. "Connor, don't you remember Stephen finding you? He said you talked to him before you passed out-"

"Finding me? Where was I?" Connor asked, trying hard not to panic. He thought back frantically, trying to remember. What happened?

"Connor, you were out with Cutter and a predator hit you in the head," Abby said slowly with a frown on her pretty face. "Cutter and the rest had to… well, Stephen came to get you."

Cutter and the rest had to…? What? What wasn't she saying? What was she keeping from him? He thought back desperately. Right, two anomalies, going with Cutter, getting hit… and waking up alone.

Alone.

They left him. Injured, and they left him alone. Again.

Connor suddenly felt his eyes start to burn and a lump formed in his throat. Right. So much for thinking that there was somewhere he actually belonged. They hadn't even cared enough to take him with them when they left. They just… left him there.

"Right," Connor said, horrified to hear his voice crack. "Abby, can you go? I'm fine."

Abby shook her head frantically, obviously horrified at the thought. "Connor, I can't! You need someone here-"

"Please?" Connor asked, barely chocking out the word as he closed his eyes. If he opened them, the tears might escape – and he didn't need her to see him cry. That would just confirm everyone's suspicions that he didn't belong with them. Didn't belong on the team.

"Connor-"

"Just go!" Connor finally yelled, rolling onto his side carefully and closing his eyes. There was silence for only a moment before Connor heard footsteps and the door slowly closing.


	3. Chapter 3

Connor knew someone was in the room with him. The door had opened almost an hour ago, followed by footsteps and the sound of someone sinking into the chair beside the bed. Connor had kept his eyes shut, not wanting to admit to being awake. If he was awake, he would be expected to talk. To smile. To pretend.

Somehow, he just wasn't up to it at the moment.

So he continued to lay there, eyes closed. He kept is breathing as even as possible, hoping whoever it was wouldn't be able to tell he was faking.

The door opened once again and he heard the person in the chair shift. "How is he?" Abby asked softly, moving forward quietly to stand beside the bed.

"Still asleep," Stephen's voice floated to Connor, making the younger man's breath hitch slightly. Stephen? Stephen had been sitting beside him for the last hour?

Neither spoke for a moment, and then Abby let out a deep sigh. "I didn't even- how did you know? I didn't-"

"I can't understand that," Stephen said, his voice hard – though Connor could tell his was fighting to keep his voice soft. "I can't understand how Cutter… it wasn't_ right_! I was in the building for less than half an hour and I knew-"

"Yes, yes," Abby said, her voice betraying her impatience, "So you already said. Cutter said it was an accident- and how should I have known?! I was with you!"

"And you came back at the same time I did," Stephen replied, his voice growing even harder. Connor gave into temptation and cracked an eye open. Abby was standing over Stephen, glaring down at him with her arms crossed over her chest. Stephen was returning her glare, sprawled out on the chair, his jaw clenched. Connor saw his eyes start to shift toward him and he slammed his eye shut. "Cutter – there isn't an excuse for Cutter. He was _there_. He saw him get hurt – knew he was unconscious – and he just left!"

"He explained that, Stephen. He said he thought the Special Forces-"

"He should have checked! Connor is part of his team! He's _Connor_!"

There was silence once again and Connor had to remind himself to breath. What the hell did that mean? He's Connor? Was that some way of saying he needed extra watching over?

"That's right, he is Connor," Abby agreed, and Connor was startled to realize he couldn't pick out the emotion in her voice. He didn't think he had ever heard that tone before. "The same Connor you laugh at on a regular basis. The same Connor that irritates you. The same Connor-"

"The same brilliant, funny, utterly odd Connor that no one could hate." Stephen finished dangerously.

"I never said you hated him, I just meant that you have never seemed to care-"

"I think you should head back to the ARC, Abby," Stephen said, his voice just a little too loud. He seemed to realize that as well, because the next sentence was softer. "I can watch over him."

Connor wished desperately to know what was going on now, what their faces were showing, but he didn't dare open his eyes again. He finally heard footsteps leading away from the bed, then the door close softly.

There was silence once again, and Connor was forced to think about the conversation he just heard. Cutter had forgotten him. Abby hadn't realized he was missing. Stephen-

Stephen did. Stephen had figured it out and couldn't understand how the others hadn't. Stephen who had called him brilliant. And funny. And hadn't answered Abby when she said she didn't know Stephen cared about him.

Connor was startled out of his thoughts by a loud sigh. He fought to control his breathing as he heard Stephen stand and then the bed sink slowly. What the hell was he doing?

"How long are you going to pretend to be asleep? I admit, I'm a pretty patient guy, but an hour and a half is pushing it."


	4. Chapter 4

Connor's eyes flew open in panic, only to meet a pair of bright blue ones only inches away from his own. He gasped, trying to press himself into the mattress. "Uh-"

Stephen's lips twitched as he leaned back, obviously trying not to laugh. "Ah, good, you're awake," he said with sarcasm.

Connor felt his face flush slightly, looking away from the other man as he muttered his answer, "I didn't know it was you."

"Ah, so if you had known it was me, you would have opened your eyes an hour ago?" Stephen questioned, obviously not believing him for a second.

Connor felt a blush slowly overtaking his face, "Uh, well, I might have-"

"What do you remember, Connor?" Stephen asked bluntly, sitting back on the bed and staring at him with hard eyes. "Cutter remembered you getting hurt, but he swears you were awake when they left-"

"I was not!" Connor protested, once again trying to ignore the stinging sensation in his eyes, "I woke up and no one was there - I tried to make it to the road but I couldn't – and I tried to get my mobile but it was broken-"

"Calm down," Stephen said, his voice softer than it had been just a moment before. Connor flinched when he felt a hand brush against his own. "You're alright."

Connor felt his breath hitch in his throat as those fingers slowly tightened around his. He stared down at his hand, noticing how small and pale it was compared to the one it was wrapped in. Connor swallowed hard as he continued to stare, his mind not quite comprehending what was going on. "Connor, Nick and the rest of the men swore you were with them. They didn't leave you there on purpose."

"They didn't notice. Even when they got to the ARC."

Stephen slowly shook his head. "Nick was – no, Connor. They didn't notice. And I don't know how they didn't…"

"How did you?" Connor asked, recalling the conversation he had just heard. "How did you know-"

Stephen shrugged, a smile pulling at his lips. "It was to quiet."

Connor couldn't help it, he felt a laugh swelling up until it burst out his mouth. He started to laugh until the tears he had previously held back fell down his cheeks. He squeezed Stephen's hand tightly, savoring the feeling of the skin on his.

"Well, sounds like someone is feeling better," a voice said from the doorway. Connor stopped laughing abruptly, his eyes slowly rising to see the people making their way into the room. Jenny, who had spoken, was followed closely by Cutter, then Lester. "Ah, Mr. Temple, feeling better?"

Connor nodded at Lester, his hand tightening on Stephen's. "Yes, sir."

"Don't lie," Stephen snapped, a glare on his face as he looked at the people in front of him, "just because he's awake doesn't mean his miraculously healed. He has a serious concussion, not to mention the fact that his ankle is held together with screws at the moment. He has to stay off of it for the next six weeks, than they can check it again. So no, I doubt he's feeling better."

Jenny and Cutter were both blinking frantically, their mouths hanging open, as Lester slowly arched an eyebrow. "Well, well, protective are we?

Stephen didn't reply, just tightened his hand around Connor's with a glare on his handsome face.

Cutter cleared his throat uncomfortably, looking thoroughly confused as is eyes rested on Connor and Stephens entwined hands. Good, that meant Connor wasn't the only one.

"Well, I guess we should go," Jenny said, smiling with bright red lips. Connor didn't respond, merely nodded as Jenny shepherded the two men out of the room.

There was silence for a few moments, then Stephen let out a sigh, "Well, that didn't go well."


	5. Chapter 5

After one awkward visit from Abby, Connor was left with only Stephen for company the rest of the time he was in the hospital. He didn't know if it was because the others just decided they had done their duty and visited already, or if Stephen had kept them all away.

Oddly enough, he didn't really care.

Stephen had hardly left him alone. Connor had forced the man to leave on more than one occasion to get some sleep ("I can sleep just as well here!"), or to take a shower and change clothes ("You have to do it here, I can too."), or just to get some food ("Fine, but only if I get you something too. I'm not going to eat real food if you're stuck with that hospital crap.").

Connor had asked the other man more than once if he was needed at the ARC, to which Stephen had just muttered something Connor couldn't hear and changed the subject.

But today was the day Connor could finally leave the hospital – which is how he found himself laying on Stephen's sofa, his ankle propped up under three pillows. "You didn't have to take me here," Connor told the other man, looking around uneasily at the clean flat.

Stephen scowled, "what was I supposed to do, let you go back to Abby's? She wouldn't know how to take care of you."

"I don't need-"

"You aren't supposed to be on that leg for the next four weeks," Stephen said loudly, cutting him off. "And that means that someone needs to be around to get you something to eat, or drink, or to even change the damn DVD if needed. So yes, you do need."

Connor let out a sigh, though inside his heart was beating frantically. He had never had someone do this for him. Someone who actually wanted to take care of him. And that person was Stephen Hart.

He had never seen that one coming.

Suddenly, Stephen's words from the hospital flew back into Connor's head. _"The same brilliant, funny, utterly odd Connor that no one could hate." _

Did Stephen really believe that? He had always thought he was just an annoyance to Stephen – someone who was constantly in the way, someone who was never good enough.

"What are you thinking about over there?" Stephen questioned, a frown on his face. "You look… oddly serious."

Connor cleared his throat uncomfortably, avoiding the other man's gaze. "Nothing. So, what DVD's do you have?"

Stephen scowled, shaking his head at the other man, "You know, one day I'm going to get you to actually tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

"Maybe one day," Connor agreed with a bright smile, "So, DVD's?"

Stephen's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he walked toward the small cabinet beside the television and opened the door before pulling out a DVD and placing it in the player. Connor thought about protesting, sure that it was going to be some boring movie that he would fall asleep watching, but gasped in shock as a familiar tune began to play. "You own Star Wars?"

Stephen looked at him, affronted, "Just because I can't quote it word from word that some people, doesn't mean I don't like it."

Connor looked at the other man, shocked, before breaking out into a wide grin. "Awesome."

Stephen laughed, standing and rolling his eyes. "Right, well, budge over a bit. Can't really see the screen from the chair."

"Why would you put the chair over there if you can't see the TV?" Connor asked, though he sat up and tried to position himself in a way that his leg was still propped up.

Stephen rolled his eyes yet again, "Because it made the room look good." He sat on the couch where Connor's head had been a moment before, then shifted slight sideways. "Alright, lay back."

"Wha-" Connor was cut off as Stephen wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him back, firmly pushing Connor's back against his chest. Connor tensed, eyes wide.

"Relax," Stephen murmured, his other hand moving up to slowly stroke Connor's hair. Connor the tension fall away as Stephen did so, until his head was resting on Stephen's shoulder. "See? Everything is fine."

Connor nodded, head still resting comfortably on Stephen's shoulder. Stephen chuckled and his arm tightened around Connor's waist for a moment. "Good boy."

"Oye-"

"Just relax, Connor," Stephen said lowly, and Connor felt something suspiciously like lips touch the top of his head softly.

"Stephen-"

"Rest Connor. Watch the movie."

"But-"

"Connor."

Connor fell silent, turning his attention to the movie and slowly letting himself relax into the warm body behind him.


End file.
